Yeosu, South Korea, November 5, 2026: An Se Young began her Korea Open title bid with a 21-6, 21-8 win over Bulgaria’s Kaloyana Nalbantova on Wednesday, advancing to the women’s singles Round of 16 as she pursues a historic 11th title of the season.

The 24-year-old South Korean entered her home tournament with 10 titles and a 66-1 record in 2026. Her opening-round victory lifted her season record to 67-1 and extended her winning streak to 51 matches.

An Se Young Chases a Third Korea Open Crown

An had considered withdrawing from the Korea Open but chose to compete in front of her home fans. She is skipping next week’s Kumamoto Masters Japan as she continues her pursuit of a record-setting season.

An won the Korea Open women’s singles title in 2022 and 2023. A third victory would make her only the second player to win the tournament three times in women’s singles, matching South Korean badminton legend Bang Soo-hyun, who claimed the title in 1993, 1994 and 1996.

An’s 10 titles in 2026 have put her within reach of an 11th. If she wins in Yeosu, she would become the first player to capture 11 titles in consecutive seasons, having also reached that total in 2025. She could still pursue the mark at the Hong Kong Open, the Syed Modi International or the season-ending finals if she falls short in South Korea.

An Se Young Sets Up a Match with Malaysia’s Letshanaa

An’s next opponent is Malaysia’s Karupathevan Letshanaa, who also advanced from the opening round. Their Round of 16 meeting gives Letshanaa a chance to challenge the top-ranked women’s singles player, while An continues her bid for a third Korea Open crown.

Complete Tournament Results

Women’s Singles

  • An Se Young (South Korea) defeated Kaloyana Nalbantova (Bulgaria), 21-6, 21-8.
  • Anmol Kharb (India) defeated Rachel Chan (Canada), 21-19, 21-18.
  • Akane Yamaguchi (Japan) defeated Lo Sin Yan Happy (Hong Kong), 12-21, 21-13, 21-15.

Women’s Doubles

  • Ririna Hiramoto / Chiharu Shida (Japan) defeated Chen Su Yu / Chen Han (Chinese Taipei), 21-18, 21-11.
  • Yan Fei Chen / Liang Ching Sun (China) defeated Nanako Hara / Riko Kiyose (Japan), 21-17, 19-21, 21-17.
  • Laudya Chelsea Griselda / Nozomi Shimizu (Australia / Japan) defeated Sonali Singh / Ritika Thaker (India), walkover.